No-fly zone will be resisted: Gaddafi

Cairo (PTI) Accusing the West of conspiring to
usurp Libya's oil resources, a defiant Muammar Gaddafi on
Wednesday warned that any move to clamp a 'no-fly' zone would
be strongly resisted by the people, as his forces reclaimed
rebel-held Zawiyah and pounded other opposition positions.
Ignoring the ultimatum by the rebels asking him to
step down within 72 hours, Gaddafi, in an interview to Turkish
TV, said a no-fly zone would show the true intention of the
Americans and their European allies to "colonise Libya
and seize its oil wealth".
"If they take such a decision (to impose a no-fly
zone), it will be useful for Libya, because the Libyan people
will see the truth, that what they want is to take control of
Libya and to steal their oil," Gaddafi said.
"Then the Libyan people will take up arms against
them."
68-year-old Gaddafi also appealed to the people in the
east, who have shunned him, to rise and topple the members of
the newly-formed rebel Libyan National Council.
Tanks rolled into Zawiyah, 50 kms from Tripoli, after
days of pitched battle between the loyalists and rebels, which
according to residents have reduced large parts of the town to
rubbles with unclaimed bodies strewn all over, Al-Jazeera
reported.
BBC reported that a huge explosion was heard near the
rebel-held oil port of Ras Lanuf, which has come under
sustained air strikes as the uprising entered the 23rd day,
seeking an end to the 41-year rule of Gaddafi.
US President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister
David Cameron discussed a possible no-fly zone over Libya but
both countries maintained that any intervention must have wide
international support.
With a consensus eluding the international community
on imposing a no-fly zone, US Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton made it clear that any such move should be made by the
UN and not by US.
Gaddafi was shown walking into a five-star hotel in
the capital Tripoli to give interview to state TV and the
Turkish TV.
The opposition stuck to its ultimatum to Gaddafi to
step down.
"If he leaves Libya immediately, during 72 hours, and
stops the bombardment, we as Libyans will step back from
pursuing him for crimes," Mustafa Abdel Jalil, head of the
opposition National Council, told Al-Jazeera.
"Conditions are that firstly he stops all combat in
the fields, secondly that his departure is within 72 hours;
thirdly we may waive our right of domestic prosecution ... for
the crimes of oppression, persecution, starvation and
massacres," Jalil said.
The offer came as reports said Gaddafi had sent
feelers to the opposition movement, expressing willingness to
negotiate his exit.
Unconfirmed reports indicated that Gaddafi, who has
been in power, was willing to step down in return for having
war crimes charges against him dropped and a guaranteed safe
exit for him and his family.
The reports also said the Libyan dictator was looking
for a place to live in exile. However, state television
rubbished these reports.
An official from the Libyan Foreign Ministry described
the reports as "absolute nonsense".
In the east, after capturing the small city of Bin
Jawad, Gaddafi's forces had encircled Ras Lanuf as for the
third day today his fighters pounded the city from where an
exodus was reported.
NATO defence ministers will discuss options for Libya
on Thursday and Friday.
According to UN estimates, over 1,000 people have been
killed since Libya's uprising began on February 14.
More than 200,000 people have fled the country, most
of them foreign workers. The exodus is creating a humanitarian
crisis across the border with Tunisia.